Show Notes
Long before Halloween, the ancient Celts gathered under darkening skies to mark Samhain, the festival that ended the harvest season and began the dark half of the year. From pumpkins, to costumes, and leaving a light in the window, many of these traditions trace back to ancient pagan customs. From Neolithic monuments aligned to the autumn sun, to Iron Age bonfires, Stingy Jack, and trick-or-treating, this episode follows how Samhain evolved through the centuries into the Halloween we know today.
Resources & References National Museum of Ireland – Rites of Passage at Tara Mound of the Hostages, Hill of Tara Excavations at Tlachtga, Hill of Ward, Co. Meath – The Past Magazine Review Daniel Kirkpatrick – Etymology of Irish Festivals The Secret History of Bonfire – Merriam-Webster CNN Feature: All Saints’ Day Explained The Stingy Jack Story: The Jack-o’-Lantern Origin in Irish Folklore Soul Cake (Wikipedia) The History of Trick-or-Treating – Smithsonian Magazine How the Irish Famine Brought Halloween to America – The Irish Post Halloween Spending Reaches Record $13.1 Billion – National Retail Federation
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